Furfuryl alcohol is a highly reactive liquid which has proven to be of widespread commercial value, particularly in connection with adhesives, binders, and other polymeric materials made therefrom. Furfuryl alcohol is highly reactive. Its propensity for exothermic polymerization in the presence of acid catalyst is particularly well known.
Historically the production of furfuryl alcohol has been achieved through the hydrogenation of furfural. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,754,304 and 2,754,307 to Swadesh). Furfural, of course, has been traditionally produced through the acid treatment of agricultural waste material having pentosans contained therein.
Hydroxymethylfurfural can be produced by known methods from hexoses such as glucose or fructose.
An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative route for the manufacture of furfuryl alcohol, which route does not require the presence of pentosan-containing material upstream in the process.
Another object of the present invention is to produce furfuryl alcohol in a process sequence in which a hexose or a cellulosic material is utilized rather than pentoses or pentosans.